Required to Study Abroad? by Sophia

Required to Study Abroad? by Sophia - March 2016 Scholarship Essay

It should not be a requirement for all students to study abroad due to to a number of reasons. Cost is one of the big reasons why students aren’t able to study abroad. The current costs of studying abroad for an entire semester, including tuition, housing, transportation, meals, and miscellaneous costs, is much greater than the costs at a student’s home university. A friend of mine participated in a study abroad in Spain over a summer to get more animal science classes and international exposure, and spent just under $10,000. If there were to be guaranteed funding for each and every student through their universities, cost would no longer as large a concern.
Outside of cost, many students in college are further along in their lives with families and full time jobs, and cannot leave their towns for a study abroad program. American students can be single 24 year-old mothers of three children that work 50 hours a week and go to school full time. They can also be 18, 19, and 20 year olds that aren’t working and are single. They can be the 22 year olds that are responsible for taking care of an elderly grandparent, or the 19 year olds that have a small farm with multiple horses that can’t be left for months at a time. These are just some made-up examples of the real variety of different situations preventing people from being able to enjoy studying abroad.
I think it is great that many people are able to take advantage of these programs and find funding to be successful away from their home school. Universities should definitely continue to promote and develop current and new opportunities for the many students that will be able to participate. Despite the wonderful experiences and knowledge acquired in these programs, staying at one’s home university can be an equally rewarding experience for those that are home-bound. I am sure there are other reasons besides costs, work, and families that prevent students from being able to participate, and we need to keep these aspects in mind before considering changing the requirements.